The Christian and Alcohol, Part 11

wineOne thing that comes out of our survey of the Bible on which all agree: the Bible condemns drunkenness. It’s condemned in the Old Testament. It’s condemned in the New Testament. Because of this, even though I think it is up to the individual Christian to decide whether or not to partake, all Christians must avoid drinking to excess and definitively must avoid addiction. Personally, I find nothing in the Bible that would lead me to consider the mere drinking of alcohol to be sinful, but I have no doubts that drunkenness is wrong.

One blogger, when writing about Christians and alcohol, said, “When I began this series, my biggest fear was that I would be the recipient of drunken high-fives from the frat-boy types who seem to revel in their “authentic” journey to follow Christ their own way.” I shudder at that same thought. One comment on this series accused me of giving license to “the occasional binge.” I trust that statement was written in the heat of the moment by someone who hasn’t read carefully what I’ve written. The Christian who drinks irresponsibly is sinning. Can I say it any more plainly?

Drinking to get drunk is wrong. Drinking irresponsibly is wrong. I’m hoping that on that we can all agree. [I’m less sure about a case like that of Noah, who doesn’t seem to have realized that he was going to get drunk. That story shows us the consequences of overindulgence, but all blame in the story is laid squarely on Ham, not Noah. (Talking about Genesis 9:20-25)]

I do believe, however, that we need to avoid imposing modern ideas on an ancient text, that text being the Bible. Several months ago, one blogger warned Christians about getting drunk without realizing it, basing his arguments on blood alcohol levels used by police in determining whether or not one is driving under the influence of alcohol. I see nothing in the Bible to make me think that one could be drunk without realizing it (either at that time or later).

The Bible talks about wine “gladdening the heart” or “making one merry.” I believe this is talking about the effect of alcohol on the person. I know the emotional reaction that some people have to a statement like that, but I can’t find another reasonable explanation. There is a middle ground in the Bible between unaffected by wine and drunk. The Bible calls it having a glad heart or a merry heart. Today it would be considered “intoxication,” but I honestly don’t believe it’s what the Bible calls drunkenness.

We also apply modern ideas to the story of Jesus turning water to wine in John 2. I hear things like “Jesus wouldn’t have made that much wine” or “Jesus wouldn’t have made wine for people who had already been drinking.” Seems to me these comments reflect our modern wedding parties, not an ancient one. Did you know that Jewish weddings at that time typically lasted a week? Or that these celebrations could include hundreds of people? It’s easy to see how they could run short on wine and how the large amount of wine that Jesus made was not inappropriate. We have to read these stories with first century eyes, not twenty-first century interpretation.

I still have a few things I’d like to share on this topic, but this might be a good time to pause for discussion.

Previous posts in this series:
The Christian and Alcohol (Alcohol abuse)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 2 (Alcohol in the history of the U.S.)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 3 (Seeing what the Bible says about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 4 (What the Pentateuch says about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 5 (What the rest of the Old Testament says about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 6 (What Proverbs and Ecclesiastes say about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 7 (What the gospels say about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 8 (What the rest of the New Testament says about alcohol)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 9 (Additional passages to consider)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 10 (Additional passages to consider)

17 thoughts on “The Christian and Alcohol, Part 11

  1. brian

    that is very helpful to recognize how long and big a first-century jewish wedding was, that makes a big difference in understanding that passage.

    thanks for your courage in studying and not just accepting the Church of Christ Creed…

  2. Joe Palmer

    I have said this many times before Tim, but your reflections are one sided. You hardly even touch on the practical application of the effects and influences of alcohol. You have done little to consider the fact that alcohol has NO redemptive work in our society. It is not necessary as a medicne or as an aid to long life. Even this would not make it’s use otherwise okay.

    What about the idea of the Bible demanding us to be sober minded? What about the condemantion of drinking parties? What about the question when am I drunk?

    Even one unit of alcohol as defined by the standard definition impacts our ability to use judgement, and the more we consume the more we lack judgement in knowing when to stop.

    How do you justify the fact that even by conservative estimates about 20 percent of the population who drink are considered to have a drinking problem. This doesn’t include those who simply on occasion drink enough to be drunk.

    So you think because wine gladdens the heart it means alcohol. I guess that means when bread makes us laugh then their must be something in it to alter our chemical make up. Do your research and you will find that all festivals and holidays are associated with food and laughter. This is what the text is talking about. Not necessarily alcohol.

    Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything. (Eccl. 10:19)

    Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. (Eccl. 9:7)

    Okay what about blood alcohol content. A chirstian is to live by a higher standard than the world. If our nation has determined that public intoxication, or at a certain blood alcohol level one is not fit to drive then shouldn’t I live by a higher standard. Don’t forget the alcohol industry has an incredibley powerful lobbying group.

    What would you answer that in my own church one year ago an alcoholic justified going back to drink because he saw Christians with alcohol in their home? He decided that he could just work to control his drinking. So we did cause a brother to stumble.

    Fill in the Blank.
    Christians don’t _____________. I assure you that in the world if you asked them to fill in the blank with three things one of the things that they would say is “Drink.” So even if they are wrong the expectation of worldly people is that Christians refrain from alcohol.

    You have raise one or two issues that I will go back and review and look at but the vast majority of this writing started with the premise of wine in moderation is not an issue. At every point you could you have always leaned that direction or looked for the interpretation to justify the use of wine. You have not tried to show the opposite side of the issue.

    If yo want to know why you should not drink I hope you will read my blog at http://www.joepalmer.wordpress.com

  3. Jay Abels

    Brave man. Good job.

    The Bible is a lot easier to cope with when we read it to back up our beliefs and get the best proof texts. It gets a lot more complicated when we read between those texts. Then it really gets complicated when we do that publicly. I appreciate your willingness to do that. Thank you for sharing.

  4. Tim Archer Post author

    Joe, I’m sorry. The spam filter caught your comment again. I’ve approved it, so everyone should be able to see it now. I’ll respond when I get a chance. Be safe and well.

    Grace and peace,
    Tim Archer

  5. Clayton McCool

    Joe said:
    Fill in the Blank.
    Christians don’t _____________. I assure you that in the world if you asked them to fill in the blank with three things one of the things that they would say is “Drink.” So even if they are wrong the expectation of worldly people is that Christians refrain from alcohol.

    Clay responds:
    Joe If you told them, CoC Christians, they would fill in the blank with:

    SING WITH THE INSTRUMENT

    When we read Romans 14 and Paul says:
    21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. 22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

    You answer is: do not drink it.
    My answer is: I pass no judgement on myself for what I approve.

    The text says: causes one to stumble, not “grumble” Joe.

    I’m sure God appreciates your help, but I’m thinking He doesn’t need your help when you condemn what he approves.

    If wine in this text isn’t wine and it’s grape juice what are you going to do concerning the Lord’s supper Joe?

    Grace and peace Clay

  6. Tim Archer Post author

    Joe,

    I’ve given this prayerful thought. I know that you speak from conviction, not from convenience. There is a lot of emotion in your replies and, unfortunately, that hinders our communication. Our exchanges have been argumentative, not only on this subject but the previous time we interchanged ideas. At no point have you voiced agreement with ANYTHING I’ve written. I don’t see that changing, no matter what reasoning I use, no matter what Scriptures I mention, no matter the sources I quote.

    I see no point in replying and prolonging the argument. Most of what you asked has been answered in previous posts or future posts.

    Grace and peace,
    Tim Archer

  7. nick gill

    Tim,

    We also miss two deeper points when we try and assess Jesus’ actions in John 2 according to our standards.

    We miss that Jesus took the bathwater of a tedious chore that would always separate the wealthy from the poor, and transformed it into an overflowing source of joy! “My cup runneth over!” Indeed!

    Second, we miss the interactivity of the movements of God in the world. Either it REALLY WAS the right time for Jesus to reveal his glory, and he was just being aw-shucks humble, or else God’s plans can shift and change according to the real needs and opportunities of the moment, and the bonds of love.

    Finally, Joe — basing your religion on what the world says Christians don’t do is REALLY dangerous. Go skim UnChristian by Kinnimon and Lyons and see what the world REALLY believes we don’t do. I’ll give you a preview:

    Christians don’t:
    Love anyone but themselves
    Think for themselves
    Care about creation/the environment/the rest of the world

    The list goes on and on.

  8. joe Palmer

    Nick,

    That is not a logical response. I am talking about what the world percieves our standard to be.

    Tim,

    No most of the discussion hasn’t been answered. You have constantly asserted that we need to speak with reason. Now you say, “I speak with emotion.”

    I am the only one on here that opposes your teaching and yet you are unwilling to answer the questions. If you want to answer them outside the forum then you can facebook me.

    You were angry because you thought I prejudged your outcome but you came out right where I thought you would. The whole series was written to condone alcohol.

    Clayton,

    I am not talking about CofC Christians because such doesn’t exist. We are just Christians. I am not grumbling. I am simply stating that a Christian should not drink. If you want to put your soul in jeapordy and influence others to put theirs in jeapordy go ahead. I can’t stop you.

  9. Clayton McCool

    Joe Palmer said:
    I am not talking about CofC Christians because such doesn’t exist. We are just Christians. I am not grumbling. I am simply stating that a Christian should not drink. If you want to put your soul in jeapordy and influence others to put theirs in jeapordy go ahead. I can’t stop you.

    Clay’s response:
    I noticed you avoided my question with your slur of me putting my soul in danger. (that is soooo CoC.)

    Also you “proved” my point, you my Brother are a “CoC” christian
    because you disallow God to speak and in your own self righteous wisdom, you believe your wisdom exceeds the wisdom of God.

  10. Joe Palmer

    Clayton,

    People who drink do put their souls in jeapordy.
    1) What if you are wrong and I am right? Meaning God does disapprove of alcohol in the way we consume it today.

    2) What if you become addicted to alcohol and a drunk. Then you even agree your soul is in jeapordy.

    3) What if your drinking causes a brother to stumble. I can cite examples of such.

    4) What if you sin by becoming drunk. Many people when depressed drink more. What if while drunk you died in a fight or drunk driving accident.

    I have brother and friends and leaders in my church who drink so I am not nearly so judgmental or biased as you suppose. They are my friends. I have warned them in love of my concern for their soul.

    Honestly I didn’t fully understand your post. I didn’t fully make sense to me. I guess I missed it.

    Tim has exposed his beliefs but you make a blanket statement that God approves of wine, such is highly debatable if you mean alcoholic wine. I know you think that is the only kind but it isn’t. So we are not speaking in the same terminology.

    I meant no disprespect.

  11. Pingback: Tim Archer on the Christian and Alcohol « One In Jesus.info

  12. Donna

    Thank you for this series. I appreciate the way you handled what the Bible actually says and put away pre-conceived ideas. I think we often cheat ourselves of the joy and the freedom Christ came to give us. He came that we could have life to the Full! Amen!

  13. Pingback: The Christian and Alcohol, Part 11 |

  14. Pingback: John’s Gospel: 2:1 – 11 (The wedding feast at Cana) | One In Jesus

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